As the biggest city in the Canadian province of Quebec, Montreal is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities. It’s also the world’s second largest city where French is the primary language, second only to Paris. French is the official language of Montreal, which was initially explored in the 16th century by French explorer Jacques Cartier. At the time of his exploration, the Montréal area was already the site of a thriving population of native people, primarily of the St. Lawrence Iroquois tribe, and excavations of the surrounding area indicate that Montreal was inhabited for at least 2,000 years prior to European arrival in the area. Interestingly, when French explorer Samuel Champlain visited the area some 70 years later, the entire population of Iroquois had disappeared, most probably as a result of tribal warfare, diseases, and migration to other areas. Originally named Ville-Marie, or “City of Mary,” Montreal derives its current name from the three-peaked hill at the center of the city, known as Mount Royal. In its early years, Ville-Marie was established as a Roman Catholic mission, dedicated to converting the natives to Catholicism. But it wasn’t long before the settlement, located as it was amid rich, dense forests teeming with wildlife, became a major outpost for fur trading, and provided a convenient spot for further French exploration of much of North America. In 1760, Great Britain defeated the French and assumed control of settlement, and in 1832, the area was officially incorporated as the City of Montreal. For the five-year period form 1844 until 1849, Montréal served as the capital of the Province of Canada. Montreal continued to grow, despite occasional setbacks during the World Wars and the advent of the Great Depression, and today the city ranks as one of Canada’s most frequently visited cities by tourists and other travelers, with a population of more than 1.6 million people. The city is rich in architectural heritage, and the buildings reflect a number of disparate styles reflective of the various points in the city’s growth. Montreal’s splendid Notre Dame Basilica, flanked by its two massive towers, offers a beautiful example of Gothic Revival architecture, with its interior richly decorated in shades of blue, purple, red, silver, and gold. The Bonsecours Market was once the central marketplace of Montréal, and today offers a wide selection of shops and eateries for locals and tourists. Even Montreal’s city hall is chateau-esque in its appearance. The city also boasts Canada’s tallest skyscrapers, including the cross-shaped Place Ville-Marie, previously known as the Royal Bank Tower. The tower, which rises more than 600 feet in the air, is also the central point of Montreal’s famous underground city, a complex of eateries, retail outlets, and other institutions located both above and below ground, and connected by a huge system of tunnels. Montreal is also famous for its underground public transportation system, Montreal Metro, which boasts a wealth of public art in all of its 68 stations. The stations themselves are designed separately, with an eye toward artistic appeal as well as convenience. In addition to a diverse and thriving artistic community, Montreal is also home to a huge and highly successful aeronautics industry, which has helped the city attract new technology-based businesses, ushering the city’s industrial base into the 21st century. For more information on Canada, visit http://montrealmicroblog.com and http://quebecmicroblog.com